1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a network interface apparatus; particularly, it relates to a network interface apparatus with power saving function and a related power saving method thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
An electronic device or a computer system is often required to communicate with other devices or equipments via network. To connect to the network, such electronic device is provided with a network interface apparatus as an interface for connection with the network.
When the electronic device is in use, the network interface apparatus maybe operated in a disconnection status, or in a connection status but no data packet is being transmitted. Under such circumstance, if the network interface apparatus is still in a high power consumption mode, it is a waste of power.
Therefore, for saving power, the prior art reduces a voltage supplied by a system power regulator when the network interface apparatus is not connected to network (disconnection status). However, there is only one system power regulator to supply power in the prior art, and therefore the power supplied by the system power regulator can not be reduced too much, nor can it be completely turned off. Thus, even when the network interface apparatus operates in a disconnection status, the power consumption of the entire circuit is still not satisfactory.